Joan Pereira
Singapore
“We need to constantly monitor technological developments, assess their military potential and anticipate how adversaries might use them against us.”
“Third, scenario‑based exercises on sensitive issues, such as foreign conflicts involving race or religion, so that leaders can facilitate difficult conversations without letting emotions tear our social fabric.”
“How are we strengthening sustained capacity-building platforms – talent exchanges, not just in education and work but in the sports and arts as well; institutional partnerships and governance collaboration – so that we build enduring networks of trust, not one-off engagements?”
“Thank you, Speaker, and the Senior Minister of State. I seek two clarifications from the Senior Minister of State on border health measures that have been stepped up in view of the disease outbreaks overseas.”
“Thank you, Speaker and I thank the Minister. I have two clarifications for the Minister. I understand that there is a lot of support in kind in collaborating with our cross border counterparts to tackle fire hotspots, as the Minister mentioned. But how about some financial assistance for countries, if they require it?”
“Thank you, Speaker and Senior Minister of State. I have two clarifications for the Senior Minister of State. First, could the Ministry provide additional grants and support, including on a longer-term basis, for smaller drinks producers to help defray the costs of complying with the scheme?”
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“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to ask MSF, in the first two to three years after adoption, whether it will send social workers to do home interviews to check on the condition of these children. This will enable the social workers to understand how the adoptive parents are coping and, when necessary, refer them to support programmes and groups. Next, would the Minister share how the Ministry's briefing is going to teach adoptive parents how to disclose to the children that they are adopted? Lastly, there will be some who are adopted, who want to understand more about their birth parents and the circumstances of their adoption. How will MSF help them? Will the authorities set up a register with some basic information?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill and the many measures introduced to protect the interests of the children to be adopted. I have three areas of concern. First, I would like to ask the Ministry if it would provide more details about checks on the children, post-adoption. Would social workers be assigned to check on these children for the first two to three years after they are adopted? The checks and screening before adoption are quite stringent, but what about after adoption? Such checks would also be opportunities for social workers to find out if the adoptive parents need support in specific areas and, thus, refer them to the appropriate support programmes or groups. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Second, would the Minister share how the adoptive parents would be prepared and supported in the area of disclosure? While disclosure is not mandatory, the Disclosure Briefing aims to encourage prospective adopters to disclose to the child the truth about his or her adoptive status and equip the couples with the necessary skills and knowledge to make the disclosure. What kind of guidelines and at which age for the child would the parents be advised? Finally, there will be some adopted individuals who want to find out more about their biological parents and the circumstances of their adoption, whether they were informed about this by their families, or found out by accident. It is natural for anyone to want to discover more about his or her own roots. For some, knowing who their birth parents are and why they were given up for adoption helps to provide them some closure. How would the Ministry assist them? Is it possible to establish a register with some basic information, of course, with the agreement of the birth parents? Sir, in Mandarin.”
“Indeed, the whole of society can do our part to better support our caregivers. Sir, I support the White Paper.”
“What may help would be having an institutional set-up with care centres, where seniors can check in for a few days and the caregivers will be able to take a break from caregiving duties. Currently, there are limited provisions for such arrangements and advanced reservations need to be made. The costs vary but some households may have problems affording them. If the Ministry can increase the number of places at subsidised rates, it would be helpful. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Presently, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) refers caregivers to suitable help resources but most assistance is temporary. However, for most caregivers, the problems do not really disappear. Hence, what is important is that they must have a suitable and familiar contact, in order to get access to suitable and convenient help, especially in emergencies. This will reduce their stress. I would like to suggest having a team as the caregivers' contact point. Having a team, compared to a single case manager, as the point of contact is more sustainable. Will AIC consider this suggestion, even empower partner social services organisations to arrange likewise? Setting up institutional care centres may be helpful, where seniors can check in for a few days while the caregivers take a short break. Presently, provisions for such arrangements are limited and need advance reservations. The fees vary but some households may find them hard to afford. If the Ministry can provide subsidies and increase the number of places, these will be helpful. (In English): Finally, I would like to request a waiver of the ElderShield payouts' annual disability reassessment for those whose conditions are permanent, to relieve the stress on caregivers.”
“Sometimes, this may mean just listening and giving some advice on how to handle difficult situations and does not necessarily mean that it always needs to be a physical meeting. Knowing that there is someone who will be there for them in times of need will take a huge stress off their minds. I would like to suggest having a team of persons who can journey with the caregivers. The reason for a team is to minimise disruptions in case the case manager has to go on leave, be changed to a different department and so on and so forth. Having a team befriend them and be a point of contact (POC) for them so that they know they can turn to that POC for help rather than different persons talking to them will be extremely useful. Could AIC consider looking into this, or even to empower partner social service agencies to build up such capabilities as well? As part of the White Paper is to call for a mid-term review, may I ask what do we hope to see at the mid-term review, in terms of targets being set? I would like to propose that a survey be conducted to check in on caregivers to find out if the team concept for respite support is working for them and is able to effectively help them in their caregiving journey. While there is consideration of a community peer support network, the key to making this model work is to recruit volunteers who have the bandwidth to undertake such tasks, as well as to provide training to equip them with the expertise to take care of seniors. I have also received feedback from caregivers about stand-in caregivers to stay temporarily at the seniors' homes who might help relieve some stress. However, very often, this arrangement is not suitable because the size and condition of some flats may just not allow it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am most heartened by the wide range of action plans to support women's development in the White Paper and even more heartened that the various initiatives to develop and support women by our different Ministries and agencies will be augmented by the whole-of-society approach proposed in the White Paper. I would like to speak on improving the assistance for caregivers, many of whom are women and, particularly, for those looking after the elderly. This will probably be the largest group to be cared for, given our rapidly ageing population. Caregivers are emotionally connected to their charges, such that even if respite care of two to three hours is offered, they may not take it up because they do not have ease of mind when another person helps to take over. This situation is most common when the elderly has complex medical conditions or is attached to familiar faces. Therefore, I welcome the proposals to enhance respite care options for caregivers of seniors and to offer them more help. What I would like to see is how we can further tighten the assistance framework so as to help lessen the stress on caregivers and on social workers. Presently, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) refers caregivers to the appropriate help resources but the help would be once, twice or even thrice-off, until their issues are resolved and the case is considered closed. However, for many caregivers, the issues never really go away. Their need for help arises at the most unexpected of times when emergencies arise. Therefore, it is very important that caregivers have a constant, familiar contact to call, so that suitable and expedient help can be offered.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his reply. I have one supplementary question. May I know in scenarios where they are convicted paedophiles, are there any safeguards or precautions to prevent them from working with children?”
“When there is conflict, especially when it involves potentially sensitive racial or religious issues, we must quickly seek to resolve and nip the problem in the bud. We should not ignore it and hope for it to blow over, thereby allowing the problem to fester and blow up into a bigger problem. The best way, really, is through mediation, with trained personnel who have the necessary knowledge and skillsets for the problem at hand. With a mediator, whom all stakeholders can acknowledge and respect, the chances of resolving the problem is much higher. Would the Ministry elaborate on how it will bring disputing parties together to resolve such issues? We must also educate our people about the customs of different races and religions, so that we can be more mindful and avoid potentially offensive behaviour. We must be respectful of one another's differences and widen the common space. There are often complaints of noise disturbances or certain practices of religious or cultural events and festivities. As we approach the 20th anniversary of IRCCs in 2022, what are MCCY's plans to ensure that our IRCCs remain relevant and effective in maintaining racial and religious harmony and strengthening our social cohesion? A Cohesive Singapore”
“Madam, the COVID-19 pandemic ignited a spirit of "gotong-royong" in my division when the Bukit Merah View Market and Hawker Centre became a COVID-19 cluster last year. Many residents, community partners, religious organisations, private companies and strangers reached out to me and my community to volunteer and offer various forms of help, especially to the hawkers and the vulnerable in my division. It was very heartwarming and the community became even more closely-knit and resilient. With the pandemic placing restrictions on community events, which we used to organise in the past, we need to reorganise how we connect and strengthen ties among our neighbours. Building friendship and trust among our neighbours must still continue to be the focus. However, we know that disputes still occur. What we observe sometimes is that relationships become so bad that neighbours do not talk to each other and, in some cases, even dragging in other neighbours into the dispute, creating a non-harmonious living environment. I hope that MCCY can empower our grassroots volunteers and staff with relevant skillsets to mediate disputes between neighbours. It is best when things can be settled and nipped in the bud at the local level without further straining relationships. How will MCCY empower our grassroots leaders and staff to build on this spirit of care and continue to strengthen community life at the local neighbourhood level? Strengthen Racial and Religious Harmony The mission of our Inter-racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) is ever more important today as we face sharper fault lines and greater challenges to our racial and religious harmony.”
“Thanks, Mdm Chairman. I have two clarifications. On the topic of preschool accessibility, I am very glad that Sengkang and Punggol will have more preschool places. Dawson, which I serve, also has many young families. So, I hope and look forward to more preschool centres there. Second clarification, can the Ministry consider my proposal to have active reach-outs to families which have been on the waiting list for about three to six months? I hope the Ministry can reach out to them, understand their needs and help them register in a nearby centre with a vacancy, because I know most parents and grandparents will want to put their charges at a centre near their homes.”
“Chairman, families in need usually struggle with multi-faceted, interlocking problems. It takes the teamwork of different Ministries, agencies and volunteers to help them. I want to take this opportunity to recognise the efforts of my grassroots volunteers, community partners and Government agencies helping the vulnerable families in my division. A coordinator will keep track of the help rendered by the different agencies, share regularly how the family is doing after the various interventions and highlight areas where more or new help is required. Such regular sharing has been very effective in providing timely help to these families. Therefore, I welcome the announcement by Minister Lawrence Wong to scale up Community Link or ComLink. I would like to ask the Ministry if all cases under ComLink will have dedicated case officers going forward as that would be extremely helpful. I would like to ask how many families and children have benefited from ComLink so far and if there are any important learning points that it can share. 6.15 pm The families in need also spend a considerable amount of time filling up and submitting multiple forms to apply for assistance schemes under the different Government agencies. Will the Ministry consider streamlining all these processes so that they need not spend so much effort on administration matters and instead focus on improving their situation? Will the Ministry monitor these families in the longer term to ensure that they can continue to cope and do well?”
“Sometimes, such help can be more effectively and quickly provided by the community itself. I also hope that there could be long-term studies to review and track the progress of our children and their families in KidSTART. I would also like to ask MSF if it can share how families will benefit from the expansion of KidSTART and provide an update on the Growing Together with KidSTART initiative. How many more children are expected to be included? Will community partnerships be considered so as to widen the scope of programmes that can benefit the children and their families? Early Intervention Programmes”
“Chairman, to build a Singapore that is "made for families", we have to make it more conducive for our busy parents, many of whom are working full-time and long hours. Parents have shared with me that getting a place in a preschool within walking distance of their homes has been particularly challenging. How will the Ministry help such families? Parents normally place their child's name or children's names on waiting lists and the wait can be several months or even longer, causing great anxiety for parents. Can the Ministry set a certain timeline where after a certain number of months of waiting and still no vacancy, ECDA should engage the parents, understand their needs and propose a few suitable nearby centres with vacancies for their selection and registration? KidSTART The early years are especially important for children's development. We must seize this golden window of opportunity to nurture and help them build a strong foundation for learning. However, some families from disadvantaged backgrounds face various challenges in sending their children to preschool. KidSTART was launched in my division in 2016 and I saw first-hand the difference that it has made and is still making. Hence, I welcome Prime Minister's announcement last year that KidSTART will be expanded nationwide. In my division, KidSTART is effective because ECDA and community partners work very closely together to tackle issues in a more comprehensive manner to better support families in need. I speak to all the agencies and they concur. However, I hope the Ministry can share with us regularly how our families are progressing with all these interventions in place. Are the families progressing well? Do they need more help or are there gaps that need to be plugged?”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have a clarification for the Senior Minister of State. The issue I highlighted for MND's consideration is not really one between neighbours. Rather, the issue is disamenities caused mostly by non-residents and we know they are non-residents because we patrol the sky gardens or roof gardens nightly. I note that a committee looking into disputes will be formed and I hope that the gating proposal that I made can be seriously considered, studied and, hopefully, implemented.”
“For the safety, security and well-being of my residents, I sincerely hope that MND would consider installing a gate which allows access only during the day and early evenings. This will greatly cut down on the requirements on manpower. As these sky gardens will increasingly be a common feature in future public housing developments, I appeal to the Ministry to reconsider installing a gate to such sky gardens as the longer-term solution.”
“Chairman, peace and quiet are two of the most important characteristics of a better living environment. All residents, whether they are staying in HDB or private properties, should have the right to peace and quiet in order to catch up on their rest and sleep. Unfortunately, for some beleaguered residents of HDB blocks with sky or roof gardens, they have not been able to enjoy this basic right for years. We all recognise that such public housing projects are considered to be representative of the new-generation of public housing in Singapore, with a focus on community bonding, greenery and lifestyle. However, the sky gardens located at HDB blocks, while still public spaces, are unique, because of the very close proximity to residents' homes, which means that any noise or disturbances at the gardens will directly affect these residents, especially if they occur at night. The well-being of our residents is important, especially when the noise disturbances and disamenities have been going on for so many years. Therefore, I would like to ask if there could be additional enforcement powers to allow the authorities to put a stop to the noise and disturbances taking place at the sky gardens so that affected residents can have peace of mind and a good night's sleep. We require more regular patrols by the authorities and agencies. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Safe Distance Enforcement Officers, the Police, MOM, NEA, HDB, the Town Councils, RC volunteers and residents for all their efforts in patrolling the sky gardens, tackling safe distance breaches, noise disturbances and disamenities over the years. Many residents have sent me emails to thank our volunteers and agencies. However, the current arrangement is not sustainable.”
“Will the Ministry share and update on the progress of the Hawkers Succession Scheme, which facilitates the pairing up of a retiring veteran hawker with an apprentice, so as to pass down his or her culinary skills, recipes and hawker stall to the aspiring successor? I would also like to reiterate my suggestion for NEA to facilitate the transition and help the veteran hawkers be paid an appropriate compensation amount, while the skills are being taught to the apprentice. The compensation sum should reflect the value of the heritage recipe and technique. In turn, the apprentice would have to serve out the bond at the stall for a period of, say, three years, for example. I hope this will help to safeguard our hawker trade. The Hawkers Succession Scheme”
“I also hope that as we embark on the transformation and rejuvenation of our neighbourhood town centres, through initiatives by other agencies such as Enterprise Singapore’s Heartland Enterprise Centre, the relevant agencies can work together and take a holistic view, to ensure that our heartland enterprises and hawkers are all part of the overall rejuvenation efforts. After all, our hawkers are heartland enterprises too. I hope to hear more from the Ministry on its plans to transform the hawker trade. Safeguard Hawker Trade Sir, our hawker trade plays a very important role in our economy. In a nation where many couples work full-time, many of our families depend on hawker centres to provide ready-cooked food. Our hawkers are specialists in their niche areas, and this is how we can enjoy so many different versions of our favourite meals from across different ethnic cuisine groups. Singapore will not be the same without our hawkers. How can we improve the job prospects and working conditions, so as to attract more young hawkers? Do we need restructure this occupation, so that they get covered for leave days, sick leave, medical care and insurance? Presently, most hawkers work as independents and some do quite well. However, for many, they really need to work many hours with very few rest days to earn a living, and falling sick becomes an extremely unthinkable costly problem. We must safeguard our hawker trade which is at the risk of vanishing when our older hawkers retire. The work is tough and not many young people want to take over. However, our ageing hawkers want to pass their recipes and techniques for future generations.”
“Like any other UNESCO cultural heritage, our hawker culture needs to be preserved and passed down for future generations. However, it needs to transform with the times, in order to remain relevant for our people and for the livelihoods of our hawkers. In the face of manpower shortage, especially in the hiring of hawker assistants and the shortage of young Singaporeans willing to pick up the hawker trade, I hope that we, as a nation, can consider this as a matter of urgency; we need to look into ways to support and transform this sector, which includes hawker centres, coffeeshops, canteens and food courts. It has not been easy, but our hawkers have been trying very hard to keep their prices affordable. Can we, therefore, help them reduce their costs with raw materials or improve productivity? I have already seen some of our hawkers adopting machines to automate their cooking or other processes. We have seen how most of our hawkers have adopted digital payments and online ordering and delivery, through the support of efforts such as the Hawker Productivity Grant and the Alliance for Action. Can more be done to bring down costs, such as by working with industry players to consolidate ingredient purchases by hawkers to achieve better economies of scale and lower prices for all? We have to review all aspects of the nature of the industry and businesses, involve our hawkers in providing their feedback and inputs on how we can help them.”
“Chairman, can I take my two cuts together?”
“Mr Chairman, we live in an increasingly uncertain world. Russia has invaded Ukraine. The strategic competition between the US and China has intensified. Other countries have inevitably found themselves drawn into it and found themselves confronted with difficult choices. Countries are also grappling with global issues such as supply chain disruptions, technology bifurcation and climate change and the impact these have on their peoples and economies. Singapore has to respond to these fast-changing developments and make very difficult choices as well and we need Singaporeans to believe and understand that our chosen courses of action are taken after very careful consideration in their best interests. But the considerations that drive our decision making on foreign policy issues are complex and often hard to understand or translate into layman's terms. Would the Ministry share what it is doing to deepen Singaporeans' understanding of the key tenets of our foreign policy and the considerations for them? How can foreign policy issues be made easy for the man in the street to understand? How can we highlight the ways in which good foreign policy contributes to the well-being of Singapore and Singaporeans and get domestic support for our foreign policy decisions? This is extremely important because the understanding will help build trust between the Government and the people. The unity gives us a strong coherent voice in our interactions with foreign countries. Would the Minister consider providing easy-to-read information to schools, tertiary institutions, grassroots, community partners and even religious organisations?”
“After the apprentice has inherited the stall, he must work for a certain period of time, for example, three years, at the stall. This will help to keep our hawker traditions alive and ensure that our hawker culture will be preserved under the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. (In English): Sir, I conclude with my support for the Budget.”
“In turn, the apprentice could be bonded to the stall for a period of, say, three years, for example; if I may say so, similar to a Government scholarship with a bond. This will help to keep our hawker trade alive and ensure that our hawker culture stays on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We should also start reviewing how we can transform the hawker trade. How can we improve the work conditions so as to attract more younger hawkers? Is it possible to improve productivity in the hawker trade, ensure fair prices, rest and medical care? I have already seen some hawkers adopting machines to automate their cooking or other processes and we have seen how most of our hawkers have now adopted digital payments. We will, therefore, need to review all aspects and think out of the box to keep our hawker traditions alive. Singapore will, definitely, not be the same without our hawkers and we have to put in greater efforts to support the hardworking men and women who labour every day to fill our stomachs with delicious and affordable meals. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our hawker centres offer delicious and affordable dishes, which are loved by all the people from all income groups. Unfortunately, many hawkers have no successors and their children are not interested to take over their business. But our ageing hawkers do want their recipes and techniques to be passed on. May I suggest to the authorities to consider setting up a special scheme for veteran hawkers with appropriate compensation for them to impart their recipes and skills to apprentices? Compensation can reflect the value of the recipes and culinary techniques.”
“So, this change is, in fact, a higher barrier to foreigners and to get employers to hire locals for job functions at this salary level instead of foreigners. Some Singaporeans have misunderstood this to be pushing employers of new EP applicants to give them a salary increment, instead of the intent of this change, which is to put up a higher barrier. I hope that MOM can continue to watch out for such employment trends in the months to come and to be ready to take firm action if employers are found to be abusing the system at the expense of local staff. Turning to hawker trade heritage, a topic very close to many of us and our hearts, affordable food in our hawker centres has helped to keep the cost of living manageable. These delicious dishes are loved by all income groups. Unfortunately, many of our hawkers do not have successors for their trade. Their children are not interested, as many have jobs which do not require long hours on their feet over a hot stove. But I do know that many of our ageing hawkers do want to hand down their recipes and techniques so that their food can continue to be enjoyed by future generations. I hope to hear about the progress of the Hawkers Succession Scheme (HSS), which facilitates the pairing up of a retiring veteran hawker with an apprentice, so as to pass down his or her culinary skills, recipes and hawker stall to the aspiring successor. May I suggest that NEA facilitate the transition and pay the veteran hawker the appropriate compensation amount while the skills are taught to the apprentice? The compensation sum should reflect the value of the heritage recipe and technique.”
“I urge MOF to consider highlighting the various payouts to all residents in both public and private housing estates through a letter or email to them or a mode of communication that they are comfortable with. Though this might alleviate some stress, I would still appeal for more consideration of some cases, as they do have genuine circumstances that do warrant more support. Our sandwich class. Singaporeans in the middle-income group have always felt that they are “sandwiched” as their incomes are not rising as fast as the inflation rate. On the other hand, they are not receiving as much help as the lower-income groups and, yet, they are contributing taxes and also have to grapple with increased prices. They feel strongly that the incremental revenue needs to come from the affluent and not the middle-income sandwich class, considering that our taxes are still low, compared to countries we are competing against. Some have suggested taxing capital gains and dividends and increasing them progressively. However, I know that we are not taking that route today as it will not help to attract investors and companies coming to set up shop in Singapore. But I do sincerely hope that the Government watches this space carefully so that the sandwich class does not feel squeezed. On the Employment Pass issue, I have also received feedback from some residents that foreigners’ salaries seem to be going up faster than local salaries. This is actually a misunderstanding of our EP policy. There is misinformation going around regarding this and the misperception has to be corrected. They are referring to the minimum qualifying salary for new EP applicants which will be raised from $4,500 to $5,000 and, for the financial services sector, from $5,000 to $5,500.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am heartened by the Government’s continued commitment to do its utmost to provide the necessary assistance and support to help Singaporeans cope with the rise in the cost of living and the impending increase in GST, from food to utility bills, service and conservancy charges, and more. The monies set aside for the assistance packages are substantial. Though these can offset the GST increases for up to 10 years for the lowest income group, we should continue to look out for those among us who need more support. However, faced with higher costs in their daily expenses, from the prices of food and drinks to other grocery bills, Singaporeans are feeling the pinch constantly. Every day, when people have to pay the extra 20 cents or 30 cents more for their beverages and 50 cents more for their food, they feel squeezed. The elderly and retired feel such financial pressures especially keenly. So, that adds an additional layer of stress and anxiety to their lives. It is, therefore, important to remind worried Singaporeans that there is a package to help offset these increases, through this package, as well as other support schemes that are in place. The planned GST hike will also be delayed and staggered, which is welcome. However, it will be especially helpful to provide some reassurance that the Government is watching the inflation rate very closely and will consider additional support measures when necessary. As for our elderly residents living in private estates, I have also received some feedback that they do not receive as much assistance. Yes, they do receive assistance but, understandably, it will be less than HDB dwellers.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. We have come across cases where fires had broken out in hawkers or market stalls that were closed. Would the Ministry consider installing emergency unlocking mechanisms in future upgrading programmes, or maybe even master key arrangements to be given to suitable persons, like the hawker committee, so that others can access stalls on fire, even if they are closed?”
“Thank you, Speaker and I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have a supplementary question. May I know if bus companies have a group of reserved drivers or maybe even recently retired drivers that they can turn to in times of need? If not, this would be something LTA might want to consider, moving forth.”
“Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Minister of State. I have one supplementary question. I am glad to note and hear that caregivers have successfully tapped on the various schemes of the Career Conversion Programme offered by Workforce Singapore. However, I have met many constituents who are elderly caregivers, who do not know where to turn to, how to navigate the websites. I was just wondering whether MOM is able to provide greater awareness publicity on the schemes in the Career Conversion Programme for these caregivers, especially the elderly ones returning to the workforce.”
“Unfortunately, they are usually not mature enough to handle all the negative impact by themselves and some may even blame themselves. I urge the Ministry to do its best to support these children, engage and counsel them, even the older ones. Their feelings and thoughts should also be heard. The Ministry can do more to ensure they receive assistance for mental health during and after this very stressful transition period. (In English): Sir, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“I would, therefore, recommend that solemnisers undergo training and be updated on the assistance programmes available so that they can be a source of emotional support and point couples who seek their help to the appropriate agencies. Next, on divorce processes. I support the introduction of a sixth fact of "divorce by mutual agreement of the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage", or DMA, for short. All families want marriages to work but not all will be able to see them through. Under this fact, efforts to reconcile will have to be submitted to the Court. This is a well-intentioned clause but I am concerned that it could make things worse, especially in marriages where there are children. We should be careful about imposing this condition, which might add tension to an already unhappy and strained household. In addition, the focus in such situations tends to be on helping the younger children. Children mature very quickly these days and young teens can sense what is going on in their parents' relationship. Unfortunately, they are usually not mature enough to handle all the negative impact and some may even blame themselves. I, therefore, urge the Ministry to put more effort to support these children. Engage and counsel them, even the older ones. Their voices should be heard, and more can be done to ensure that they receive assistance for mental health during and after this very stressful transition period. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] When couples are processing their divorces, the agencies’ focus tends to be on helping the younger children tide over this difficult transition. These days, children mature quite quickly, and young teens can sense what is going wrong in their parents’ relationship.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to start with the amendments to enhance the marriage processes. First, on the digitalisation of marriage certificates. I would like to know if the digital versions apply to both civil and religious marriage ceremonies. For religious ceremonies, will the issuers of the certificates be the churches or temples? Not all religious organisations have the digital security resources of Government agencies. In addition, I am concerned about the vulnerability of the IT systems. Thus, I hope the Government can help the religious organisations not only secure digital resources but also ensure safeguards are in place to prevent online theft of these sensitive information. Second, how will digitally-registered marriages be reflected in our Singpass? Presently, under the family tab in Singpass, one can see the marriage certificate number but no indication of the identity of the spouse, which may be important in proving family relationships in emergencies. I feel that including a partly-masked name or NRIC number is equally important. Marriage is a very happy occasion. Solemnisers, in journeying with couples in the preparation of the ceremony, very often, become very close friends. It is important, therefore, that solemnisers be equipped with counselling skills to help the couples they are marrying. Courses are optional but I would suggest that they be made mandatory. As a previous solemniser myself, some of the couples had turned to me after their weddings for advice when they encountered marital issues. However, I was not trained and could only share my own personal experience.”
“Thank you, Speaker and I thank the Senior Minister of State too. I have one supplementary question. In view of the ongoing manpower crunches, as well as the roll-out of this Clean Tables Campaign to coffee shops and food courts, could the Ministry consider supporting the adoption of technology in coffee shops and food courts such as deploying tray return robots or automated food waste digesters so as to further improve the cleanliness and environment of these dining areas?”
“The arrangement has its merits. For example, top-ups to parents’ accounts from children may not be equal. With the amendment, future top-ups will not be refundable. Not all people are willing to let their top-ups become part of their parents' estate to be shared among all beneficiaries. I worry that with this amendment, there will be fewer people who are willing to top up their parents' CPF accounts, and elderly women will be more affected. Most of them have less savings and longer lifespans. (In English): With this, I support both Bills. 12.59 pm”
“Furthermore, there is no deadline for them to lay their claims. CPF should review its strategy to reach out to the public to address this misunderstanding. Last, I have a concern regarding the amendment to treat top-ups to members' Retirement Accounts or Special Accounts as non-refundable gifts. Presently, the monies will be returned to the givers when the recipients die and, in certain circumstances, refunds to the givers are allowed. There are some merits to the current arrangement. For example, top-ups to parents' accounts from children may not be equal and the children who contribute may have some assurance that, in the event of their parents' death, their unused top-ups would be returned to them. This will change with the amendment. Not all children are keen to have their top-ups shared among the beneficiaries of their parents' estate. Some children may be deterred from topping up their parents' accounts and the impact may be felt more among elderly women who have less CPF savings in the first place and tend to outlive their husbands. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Senior workers who need the incomes do not have much leverage during re-employment negotiations. Older workers with lower-education levels may be more likely to encounter poorer workplace treatment. As they are afraid of losing their jobs, some employees endure unfair arrangements or poor working conditions. On the other hand, some senior workers are unwilling to continue accepting such difficult conditions and choose to resign before reaching the retirement age or forgo re-employment opportunities. We need to find ways to protect and assist them. Presently, CPF top-ups, upon the death of the recipients or, in certain circumstances, can be returned to the givers.”
“Some examples of problematic work conditions include additional duties not within job scopes, volume of work which is difficult to complete during work hours, not providing appropriate or functioning equipment, and refusal to compensate for additional time and expenses incurred in the course of work. Workers may hesitate to seek help from the human resource department or MOM for fear of losing their jobs. I think it is very important for senior workers, especially those who are in lower-paying jobs, to be informed of their rights and to be educated on how to assert their right to fair treatment at work. Even more importantly, they need to be assured of support from the Ministry and have confidence in the enforcement of workplace protection legislation. By right, the individual HR departments should handle complaints and feedback, but they may be perceived to be pro-management. I would thus like to suggest that the Ministry consider making it mandatory for companies to hold regular town hall meetings with employees to share feedback and report on follow-up measures. They must have clear protocols in place to allow whistle-blowers to complain safely and provide multiple avenues for feedback. Next, I would like to comment on an amendment in the CPF (Amendment) Bill to simplify the process of distributing unnominated monies. I welcome more expedient payouts from the Public Trustee to a beneficiary representative. It may go some way to help dispel a persistent myth that unnominated monies are taken by the Government. This issue had been addressed more than once in this House and it was made clear repeatedly that CPF Board and the Public Trustee's Office (PTO) will attempt to locate and contact the next-of-kin so that they can claim the monies.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with longer lifespans, our employment model has to change to enable our seniors to continue working if they wish to do so. Older workers have a wealth of experience which they can tap upon to continue contributing to our economy, as well as wisdom and insight, to share with younger cohorts in the workforce. Therefore, I support the proposal to increase the retirement age and re-employment age gradually, from 62 to 63 years and from 67 to 68 years respectively from next July, to eventually reach 65 and 70 years by 2030. This will give employers time to make the necessary adjustments and preparations. At this stage in our seniors' lives, depending on individual health conditions and personal preferences, it is very likely that most will have some changes to the scope of their work. Re-employment negotiations provide the opportunity for employers and employees to work out new arrangements, including options, such as flexible and part-time work. However, for some senior workers who need the incomes, they may not have much room in re-employment negotiations. Older workers with lower education levels are particularly vulnerable to poorer workplace treatment. The fear of losing jobs keep some in unfair arrangements or toxic work environments. Some of these problems may be localised within departments; other issues may be prevalent or systemic within an organisation or a sector. On the other hand, due to such difficult conditions, there are workers who resign before reaching their retirement age or forgoing re-employment offers. We need to find ways to protect and help them.”
“] I would like to suggest that MHA make it mandatory for all private security officers to be equipped with body cameras. MCSTs should also be accorded more powers to deal with such offenders on their estates. (In English): I would also suggest that in addition to the fines and jail terms, offenders be made to serve community service and undergo mandatory social education programmes, where they learn to respect people from different income and social groups. The private security sector should be treated as an important partner in our national security framework and their officers should be empowered to do their jobs well and effectively. Madam, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I welcome this Bill which will hopefully improve the working conditions for the staff of our private security industry. The men and women hired to protect security for properties such as condominiums, shopping centres, commercial buildings, just to name a few, are facing increasing incidents of abuse from visitors, residents and tenants at the properties they are assigned to. I had spoken to security personnel in my constituency and they shared these concerns with me. Similarly, members of the condominium management committees have highlighted and given similar feedback. This COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the worst in many offenders because there are more regulations. Security officers have more responsibilities today – new ones which did not exist before, such as ensuring that people wear their masks, maintain safe distancing and not exceed certain group sizes while on their properties. Some security personnel told me that there are residents or visitors who blatantly disregard the regulations, by gathering in big groups, pulling down their masks whilst walking, smoking and so on. Attempts by the guards to advise them lead to altercations. Security officers tell me that they have been totally ignored or verbally abused whilst the breaches continue to take place. This is totally unacceptable. Police officers can warn and arrest offenders on the spot, but how about our security personnel? I would like to suggest that the Ministry make it mandatory for all private security officers to be equipped with body cameras. MCSTs should also be accorded more powers to deal with such offenders on their estates. Madam, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Thank you, Speaker. The Senior Minister of State mentioned that MOH has tapped on private hospitals to alleviate the load on public hospitals. I have one supplementary question. May I know how has this helped alleviate any shortage of resources in the public hospitals? I have had residents who have been hospitalised with non-COVID-19 related illnesses and shared that the care was inadequate. So, I hope the Senior Minister of State can answer that.”
“As technology is so advanced, how can we be sure that the recordings that both the residents and NEA encountered are similar? The layman does not know what is an acceptable noise level and what is not. I would like to suggest that information on how to discern when maximum levels have been breached be set up at our worksites. These would be very helpful, so that residents are informed and can tell if rules have been flouted. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I have some questions regarding the amendment to ensure that construction sites remain quiet on Sundays and public holidays. Due to the pandemic, many construction projects had been delayed. Now, many contractors are trying to expedite their works. How are we going to balance their need to expedite construction, while at the same time, ensure that the noise pollution is maintained at an acceptable level? In addition, in this situation of rushing for work to be done, how do we ensure safety at worksites? The Ministry will require errant contractors to install video surveillance systems. How can we ensure that the recordings will not be tampered with? Most residents do not know what the acceptable noise level is, as set by the Ministry. I would like to suggest that worksites set up information notices about noise pollution. This will be helpful to let our residents know under what conditions the regulations are violated. (In English): Sir, I support the Bill. 6.38 pm”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support all the measures to reduce the emissions of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants from refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) equipment. These measures, coupled with effective enforcement, will definitely go a long way to help mitigate climate change. However, I have some concerns about the amendment to ensure that construction sites remain quiet on Sundays and public holidays. The Ministry intends to achieve this by requiring errant contractors to install electronic video surveillance systems. Due to the pandemic, many construction projects have been delayed. Now, with our economy gradually adjusting to a new norm, contractors are trying to catch up on the works in progress. I would like to ask: how do we balance the need to expedite these construction projects, while ensuring disamenities like noise pollution are kept to acceptable levels? With the shortage of workers and the urgency to rush jobs, more machinery might be used. Then, what comes immediately to mind is safety. So again, another delicate balance between productivity and safety. Would the Ministry be stepping up safety briefings and inspections? Can the same CCTVs be used to enhance safety at the worksites? The purpose is not so much to penalise and punish contractors, but rather to help spot any safety concerns early. This will allow contractors to be alerted and take remedial action to ensure safety. Next, I have a query about the integrity of the video recordings. I had encountered cases in my community where NEA received complaints from residents about noise but when they went down to check the construction sites, the noise level was considered acceptable.”
“I have two supplementary questions for Minister Edwin Tong. PA has identified and appointed the external consultant. Can Minister share with us the identity of this external consultant? And if it has started work, it will be helpful to share with us the findings progressively. And I would like to know what kind of timeline we are looking at in sharing the findings with us.”
“Multiple births are a blessing but coping with twins, triplets or more babies is extremely challenging, especially for new mothers, and most of these will be new mothers because Singaporeans are having fewer babies. Presently, the birth of twins or multiple babies is treated as a single delivery. The parents will not receive double or additional benefits. While the parents can receive the benefits for a subsequent delivery, due to our low fertility rate, once a family has two or more children, the chance for a subsequent delivery may not be high. Hence, why do we not provide more benefits for such families? The parents will be better rested and, instead of feeling stressed and overwhelmed, might be encouraged to have another child or more children. As it is, many other countries are already offering parents of multiple births additional benefits. They range from European countries to our neighbours in North and Southeast Asia. If the concern is the impact on employers, the impact is very small. Around 3% to 4% of births over the last decade are multiple births and the days of leave taken by the parents can be spread out over a longer duration, to lower the impact at the workplace. Flexibility and mutual understanding between employers and employees are key. I hope the Ministry will consider my request favourably.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I fully support the measures proposed in this Bill which will help Singaporeans have children. The introduction of the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit (GPPB) and Government-Paid Adoption Benefit (GPAB) is particularly welcomed, as is the provision for retrenched parents to benefit from the top-ups for leave during this very difficult period. I am very heartened by the support for another group of parents – those with stillborn children – who will receive birth-linked leave and benefits during a distressing juncture in their parenting journey. It is only right that the Government formalises the arrangement to reimburse employers who voluntarily grant parental leave to employees and make provisions for audits and recovery of erroneous payments. Madam, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to take this opportunity to make a request for parents of multiple births. Currently, the birth of twins or multiple babies is considered a single delivery by MOM. Parents do not receive double or additional Government-paid benefits. In fact, many countries already offer additional benefits to parents of multiple births. They include European countries and our neighbours in North and Southeast Asia. I hope that the Government will consider giving these parents more benefits so that they can have more time to take care of their babies, have a good rest and make further efforts to have a few more. This would be helpful in encouraging more births, too. (In English): I would like to take this opportunity to make a request on behalf of parents of multiple births. This is a small group of parents but we must try to help them as much as possible.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have a supplementary question on the Quick Test Centres. May I check if the quick test centres for the fast and easy testing can be opened for extended hours to cater to one-man operations and other businesses who may have to go for their mandatory swab test every 14 days outside of their operating hours?”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. I have a supplementary question. I am concerned about the mental well-being of our drivers of heavy vehicles and buses. I am wondering whether there are processes and checks in place to ensure that these drivers are provided with counselling support if they require it, because this affects their ability to drive well and safe.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have a clarification for the Minister of State. I would like to know, apart from the enhanced regime for helmet-related offences, what other measures are MHA and TP planning to undertake to protect all our motorcyclists? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, if I may, TP adopts a multi-pronged approach of education, engagement and enforcement. We work with our stakeholders, as I have shared earlier, to improve road safety for the motorcyclists. For education, for example, since December 2020, we have a new feature as part of the education process for learner motorcyclists, where we introduced simulation training. They have to go through a few modules, where they will be able to identify and go through the process of top 10 vulnerable accident-prone situations in the simulation. We also have a riding theory handbook available online for them to learn. So, we continuously engage motorcyclists because we know they are a vulnerable group. We also have positive engagement with them. We award the rider. In the last few months when I was involved, I went around in a TP car to identify riders who practised safe habits, such as wearing the necessary gear well and so on. I think that actually spread among the motorcyclist community and it gave a very positive vibe and message to motorcyclists that it is good to be on the safe side, to practise good habits for road safety. As I have mentioned earlier, we will continue to enforce where we work with community partners; we work with the feedback that we receive and look at the hotspots where there may be opportunities for us, not only to enforce, but also to educate, engage and bring out positive impact, not only to the motorcyclist community, but for all road users as well.”
“Would the Minister share what measures are in place to reduce the likelihood of this happening? Lastly, I would like to touch on the proposed amendment regarding the forfeiture of vehicles used for illegal road races. With the amendment, a vehicle involved will no longer be forfeited if the offending driver is not the owner and had used it without the owner's permission. On one hand, this seems to be fair to the owners but, on the other hand, there may be instances where owners of the vehicles claim that they did not provide consent in order to keep the vehicles. However, in reality, they had given consent and provided the offending driver access to the vehicle. How would the Ministry be able to separate the genuine cases from the non-genuine ones? Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Many delivery staff for goods and meals use PABs to earn a living. Hence, I urge the authorities to ensure that the test fees are affordable to them and I also urge companies which engage their services to pay the fees for them. I am also worried about the safety of young pillion riders on motorcycles. Some of them are Primary school students who wear helmets which are too big. Would the Ministry consider requiring them to wear right-sized helmets? The Bill will empower Police officers and authorised personnel to conduct security screening of bus and MRT commuters. May I ask the Minister what measures will be implemented to prevent those imposters who wish to take the opportunity to molest or steal? As for the clause concerning the forfeiture of vehicles involved in illegal racing, I would like to ask the Minister how the Ministry would distinguish whether the owner of the involved vehicle did or did not provide consent to the offending driver.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the implementation of a theory test for riders of power-assisted bicycles (PABs). This will help boost safety for the riders and other users on the roads. PABs are commonly used by delivery staff and it is not easy for them to make ends meet in this difficult economic climate. I am thus very concerned about the affordability of the tests and would propose that it be set at an affordable level. I would also urge companies who engage these essential workers to pay for the costs of the tests on their behalf. Next, it will be a new offence for motorcyclists to carry pillion riders who are not wearing helmets. In addition, there are dangers posed by helmets which do not meet regulatory requirements or are of unsuitable sizes. I have seen children pillion riders wearing helmets which are too big for them. How will the Ministry ensure that motorcyclists provide their pillion riders with the correct type of helmets? Will there be more public education programmes to highlight the importance of wearing right-sized helmets? I am very concerned about the safety of young motorcycle pillion riders, some of whom are only in pre-school or Primary school. Would the Ministry consider mandating the wearing of the correctly-sized helmets? Another amendment of the Bill is to empower Police officers and authorised personnel to conduct security screening of bus and MRT commuters. While I support this measure to ward off potential security attacks, I have concerns about imposters taking advantage of passengers. As the Bill had stated, these personnel may or may not be in uniform, so it is really not easy for commuters to tell if they are genuine. Molesters or pickpockets may pretend to conduct frisk searches.”